Folding workstand



i 8, 19460 R. H. FALKENSTEIN 2,392,584

' FOLDING WORK STAND Filed Jan. 16, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Ruth H..Fal]censtein Jan. 8, 1 946. R. H. FALKENSTEIN FOLDING WORK STAND 2 Sheets-Shet 2 INVENTOR Filed Jan. 16, 1945 I li'wth fif'alkcnstei Patented Jan. 8, 1946 i FQLDING. WORKSIAND J Ruth HZFaflkenstein, J efierson Township,

Allegheny County, Pa;

Application January 16, 1945,:Serial-No. 572,996

8 Claims.

My invention relates .to a :work -stand,- 1 that is, towa device for 1 supporting a workman at an interval: above the levelf a floor, say, Where he:- will: be; in positions-morereadily to :perform Workioverhead.

The device has been particular-ly; though not exclusively, developed fon use -in painting orcleaning the walls in a home or other building, and tin accordance-with the -objects of the-inventionz. the device-provides an elevated platform upon..-whichz a. person may stand-and work with ease; and'i'with safety upon the ceiling, the. upper wall portions; and the tops. of the windows and doorframes ofta room. Additionally; thei device includes a :work'f-restw tfor supporting tools; and as bucket of paint; water,- or the like; at an interval above the (platformand handy-to th workmanlstanding thereon, It is further to be noted that the device includes provision toassist the workman in: mountingthe =-platf0rm= and dis-- mounting.

I still further keeping with-the objects of the invention the device is designed to' rest flat upon thefloor of aroom; whereby there is no-danger of the devicgsliding or tilting under the-reaction of; the. movements of the workerstanding on the platform, and yet; whenin the progress of worktitcbecomesdesirable to'movethe devicefrom .place to. place, the-movement is readily efie'cted.

And. of equal importance it isetobe noted that the-entire structureis, when not in use-adapted torb folded into. a'compact unit -th'at may be conveniently-stored. in .minimum "space within closet or other storage: room within a-home.

The invention will be" understood upon= refer-- ence ,tmtheaccompanying: drawings, inwhich:

Figure .1 is, amviewhinside .-elevationof a workstand, comprising, an exemplary 1 embodiment of theinvention Figure .12 gista View inzenda elevation of-the work stand;

Figur 3 is a view implanfrom,above ofthe workv stand it {being noted; thatzthiszl-view shows only one rof:jthec-apronsawh'ich areipr-ovided on ac des of: the C1 C ,$,t0;;Cai f-?h drops of: paint or; 1otherrfluid;that; may; fall; from; the. hand of he oworkmam;

Figure 4 :is, a-uplan View. of theworkstand in f oldejd; :condition,., whereas .-.the,. .three views 1 first described shows the; devicein; erected or: service position and-L Figure, is-asectional view of. the ifold'edi-structure; as..seen;in thez;plane V+V of =Figure 4;;

Referring etot-the drawings, :1 shall'rdescrib the like members or rails thatxstand on; :edgeiafiat..

upon the floor. Secured'to andrisingcfromgtheses rails are two pairs ,cfrlegs 1 and. 18;; at'whi'ch are. rigidly, though: releasably, engagedz one etoeach .corner ofi thesplatformi as; by mean'ss of; bolts; M4: The platformasithusmountedaffords; asecure and sturdy support up'on whichraaworken may-stand and work at an elevationabove floor; level," it being noted in-Fig.1 1 015 the :drawings; that the point at which; each leg JiS-LsecuredLtQ the associate rail is: located at; awsubstanti'alz. in.-= terval inward: from. the adjacent. end of-thearvaillv The device includes a work-rest 1 H swhichs'isz secured at an interval above the --,-p1-'atform; to. support -apai l I2 vof paint; or water; orthexlike; and/or wash cloths; paint brushes and 'othen tools, in position WhBIB- they are: handy to :the workman standing on the-platformz The-two legs-8,1 are continued upward from"the.. plat; form, providing uprights or means-forsecuring the-work-rest in desired position. The -work'- rest consists in this casedmatray-like member formed as a rectangular frame l upon which: asheet l4 of plywood is attached-L ThetWo-uprights or legs 8; 8 are pivotally attached at their upperend-portions to the'two sides .of theirame I3, bolts or pins I"! providing the-pivots; associated with-each leg 8 is'a metalbrace-J8 which. is pivoted 'at its upper end-to the frame l3 and at its lower end is slotted, to-latchupon a pin l9 projecting from the leg.- The two braces serve in conjunction with: the le'gsrigidly to secure the work-rest in horizontal; position; While-the two braces-may be disengaged fromlatched en gagement with the pins l9, whereby the work'- rest maybe swung on-the pins "l1," to permit the structure to be folded into collapsed position-as will-presently be described inegreater detailm The sheet l t-that forms the face of" theworkrest includes an opening l5 'toreceive'thebott'omof the pail l2 :(Figure 2),- and a stripvlli issecured across the bottom of the frame -l3 -'a'ndvertic'ally: supports the pail. The-pail as=thus-supported cannot slide from position on the work-rests The tive length of the legs], I may be regulated and the position of the rear end of the platform vertically adjusted. The legs 8,- 8' are provided 7 with a series of correspondingly spaced holes '22,.. whereby the bolts l insuch legs may be withdrawn and the front end'of the platform vertically adjusted. Such organization manifestly provides for the ready adjustment of the height of the platform above floor level. p

Between the legs .1, 1 two fcross members 23. of angle iron extend,'and aresecured at their ends to the leg members, as shown. These cros members providenot only rigid reinforcement for the legs, but also provide steps by which. the workers may readily mount the platform and dismount therefrom. l r

The cross-braced leg members I, I, bolted at their lower ends to the rails 5 and 6,.form the means for securing the rails at the rear end of the structure, while at the front nd a cross bar 24 integrates the rails. j

Fabric aprons 25 may be. spread from each of the two sides of the stand to catch drops of paint or water, etc'., that fall during the work inprogress. Each apron may consist in a rectangular piece of canvas hemmed atits two ends to receiv rods 26; the rods 28 are provided with downturned ends that are received in sockets formed within the upper edge of the rails 5 and 6,'and ties 21' may be runfrom the outer ends of the ;rods (or-from the fabric of the'aprons'at such points), to hold the fabric taut, as shown in plan in Figure 3,-it being remarked that only In folding the structure the aprons are first detached from the rails 5 and 5. Then, the two braces l8 are disengagedrfrorn the pins [9, and the work-rest is swung on its pivot l1 into common plane with the legs 8, 8. Next, the bolts 10 are removed and the platform 2 lifted from assembled position; following this the lowermost bolts of the pair of bolts 34 and 35 that secure the lower end of each leg 1, I and 8, 8 to the rails 5 andB are removed, and the rear legs 1, 1 are swung forward into horizontal position between rails 5 and 6, about the upper bolts 34 as pivots; then the legs 8, 8 are swung into horizontal position between the rails, the upper bolt 35 associated with each leg serving as the pivot. It will be understood that there is a vertical interval between the upper bolts 34 and 35, with the effect that the legs 8, 8 snugly overlie the legs I, I when such legs are swung into horizontal position between the rails 5 and 6. When this hasbeen accomplished, bolt 3| (Figures .4 and 5) are inserted throughholes 3| a in the"respective rails 5 and 6 (Figure '1) and through holes 22 in'th legs 8, 8. Nuts are applied to the 'bolts and tightened. With the legs 8, 8 thus rigidly secured to the rails, the structure is turned over and laid flat in the position in which it is shown in Figure 4., The platform 2 is then introduced between the rails, with the board 4 faced down ward, and when it has been thuspositioned bolts 32 are passed through the holes normally occupied by the lower bolts 35 in the erected'structure and through the holes in the stringers 3, 3 of the platform which normally receive the bolts ID for securing the platform to the legs 8, v8. The grails 5 and 6 are provided with auxiliary holes 33 (Figure 1) and through these holes are passed bolts 33 (Figures 4 and 5) to engage and secure thestringers 3, 3 of theplatform adjacent to the ends remote from thoseyfirst 'mentioned. Thus, the entire structure is asone of the aprons is shown in this figure, with the'rods 26 of the other indicated fragmentarily. In order to facilitate'the movement of the work stand. a pair of wheels 28 is mounted at the front.

The wheels are mounted end of the structure. on an axle 29 extending through and between the rails 5 and 6; and it is important to note that the axle is arranged eccentrically of the arc'uately curved ends 30 of the rails, in'such' manner that the rims of the wheels do not bear.

on" the floor when the work stand is in normal position of service. The stand rests securely .upon the edges of the rails, and when the work stand is in normal position the wheels offer no tendency tofacilitate movement of the structure. When, however, it is desired to move the work stand, the standis tiltedinto the position indicated fragmentarily in dotted lines in Figure l, and in such tilting the wheels are lowered into contact with the floor, with the effect that the structure maybe easily wheeled into the, desired position and then position.

It will be understood that the work stand of the invention is essentially a, relatively large and sturdy structure, in order that adequate strength and; rigidity shall be obtained for the intended service, but irrespective of its bulk, it is adapted to be folded into a; compact unit for storage. This isanotable advantage. g I r returned, to normal horizontal sembled between, and substantially in'thepla'ne 013;, the two rails 5 and 6. As thus assembled, the structure provides a compact-unit which may be readily stored in the closet'of a home or thelike. In Figure 5 the folded and secured unit is shown inverted from'tl e position in which it isshown in Figur 4, in which the platform is introduced and secured between'the rails '5 and 6, but a comparison of the two views will clearly 7 tion, and it will be understood that within the terms and intent of the appended claims many modifications and variations may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

v I claim as my invention: r I

1. A folding work stand comprising two rail members united in spaced apart relation and adapted to rest on edge on the floor of a room, a platform for a workman, legs extending upward from said rails to engage and support said platform at an interval above said floor, a work-rest,

and at least one of said legs being continued upward from said platform to provide support for said work-rest at a substantial interval above said platform and handy to a workman standing thereon, and a wheel mounted eccentricallyon the end of each rail member at one'end of the structure, whereby, by tilting the structure, said wheels may be lowered from position out of contact into position in contact with said floor for wheeling the structure on the floor.

2. A folding work stand comprising two rail members united in spaced apart relation and adapted to rest on edge on the floor of a room, a platform for a Workman, legs extending upward from said rails to engage and support said platform at an interval above said floor, said rail members, legs and platform being releasably enaged to one another, whereby the legs and platform may be moved into position between said rail members and in substantially common plane therewith.

3. A folding work stand comprising two rail members united in spaced apart relation and adapted to rest on edge on the floor of a room, a platform for a workman, legs extending-upward from said rails to engage and support said platform at an interval above said floor, a workrest comprising a tray-like member, two of said legs extending upward from said platform and supporting between them said tray-lik member at a substantial interval above said platform and handy to a workman standing thereon, said legs, platform and tray-member being releasably engaged to one another whereby they may be moved into position between said rail members and in substantially common plane therewith.

4. A folding work stand comprising two rail members united in spaced apart relation and adapted to rest on edge on the floor of a room, a platform for a workman, legs extending upward from said rails to engage and support said platform at an interval above said floor, a work-rest comprising a tray-like member, two of said legs extending upward from said platform and supporting between them said tray-like member at a substantia1 interval above said platform and handy to a workman standing thereon, and a wheel mounted eccentrically on the end of each rail member at one end thereof, whereby, by tilting the structure, said wheels are lowered from position out of contact with the floor into position in contact with the floor for wheeling the structure on the floor.

5. A folding work stand comprising two rail members united in spaced apart relation and adapted to rest on edge on the floor of a room, a platform for a workman, legs extending upward from said rails to engag and support said platform at an interval above said floor, a workrest, means for supporting said work-rest at an interval above said platform; said work-rest and its supporting means, and said rail members, legs and platform being releasably secured in assembly, whereby the structure may be released and moved into position between said rail members and in substantially common plane therewith.

6. A folding work stand comprising two rail members united in spaced apart relation and adapted to rest on edge on the floor of a room, a platform for a workman, legs extending upward from said rails to engage and support said platform at an intervalabove said floor, a workrest, at least one of said legs being continued upward from said platform to support said workrest thereabove, said rail members, legs, platform and work rest being releasably secured in assembly, whereby the structure may be released and moved into and secured in position between said rail members and in substantially common plane therewith.

7. A work stand comprising a foldable assembly including a platform for a workman, two rail members united in spaced apart relation and adapted to rest flush on edge upon the floor of a room, a platform for a workman, a leg secured adjacent to butat a substantial interval inward from each end of each of said rail members and extending upward from the rail members and being engaged to said platform to support the platform at an interval above said floor, said legs being releasable in their engagement with said legs, whereby the several parts of the structure may be positioned substantially in a common plane.

8. A work stand comprising a foldable assembly including a platform for a workman, two rail members united in spaced apart relation and adapted to rest flush on edge upon the floor of a room, a platform for a workman, a leg secured adj acent to but at a substantial interval inward from each end of each of said rail members and extending upward from the rai1 members and being enaged to said platform to support the-platform at an interval above said floor, and two wheels rotatably mounted on the rail members at one end of the assembled structure on an axis that is located outward from the points at which the legs at such end of the structur are secured to said rail members, said wheels at said end of the structure being out of contact with said floor when the structure is in service position and being movable downward into contact with the floor by lifting the opposite end of the structure upward.

RUTH H. FALKENSTEIN. 

